Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1887-01-29
A FAMOUS s12o, COO aApHAgL.
A Story Concerning tho Precious Little
Panel, "The Three C:rnccs.''

Story Concerning the Precious Little
Panel, "The Three Grnccs."
The Due d 'Aumale has tho true col
lector's love for his treasures, and, il
there is anything that can at all console
him in that exile to which he has been
stupidity condemned. it is the company of
his pet pictures and his favorite books.
a day or two ago the well-known Lon
don specialist in autographs, NJ. Thibau-
deau, came to gossip with me for half an
hour on his way through Paris in quest
of new treasures. Now, it was Thibau-
deau who sold the Due d'Aumale his
famous Sf20.000 Raphael, that precious
little panel, just about four inches square,
on which the master of Urbino has painted
three women supposed to represent the
"Three Graces. Naturally, we had
some talk about Chantilly and about this
famous painting.
After the-death of its last owner, the
Rev. Fuller Russell, NJ. Thibaudeau, who
had won the confidence of the DUO
d'Aumale in important transactions con-
corning autographs Of the Condo family,
was charged with the purchase Of the
picture, and, having concluded the
affair, he arrived one morning at Cham
tilly with the Raphael under his arm.
He was shown into room. In a few
minutes the Due d 'Aumale came hobbIing
In, his gout troubling him a little that
morning, and seeing the Raphael he ex-
claimed in joyful banter: 'sAhl You
have brought me another picture, have
you? / see you are determined to ruin
me-" Then, after admiring the picture
and examining it minutely, the duke laid
it ON the table. ssEh bien! Allons de-
jelner! Let us go to breakfast, . he said.
and to breakfast they went. But the
duke could not forget the Raphael, and
after the first course he ordered the pict~
ure to be brought in and placed on q
chair, where he could see it while lie was
eating. The picture was under glass In
lock frame of which the key was lost.
''What nuisance! If we could only see
1t without the glassl''
Thibaudeau asked for clliscl. mo!
No! You will spoil it. However.
Thibaudeau persisted, removed the back
of the frame, and took .out tie panel.
The glass was coated with English SCOT.
and the precious panel likewise. Then.
taking some soft bread crumbs, Thibau-
deau rubbed the panel gently and gradu-
ally removed all the dirt, and tho Raphael
appeared in all its pristine Erilliancy.
The panel is now solid silver frame.
and the Duc d'Aumale Is preparing J
monograph on the work. to which hex,
thinks the title of THE Three Craces'' ii
wrongly given. The subject Is iadecH
rather curious; it trc.srcscnfs three wo7sach
standing in 4 group face To free. The
woman in tine centre is entirely nude
and has her lack turned to the Dublicx
the woman or flic loft has band Of
drupcry around her 1oins; the woman Oh
the right il entirely nude and vounc&fs
than the other two. Eacll 0f.si1c tllSeos
holds IN one hand an 1,,plc. lilxo Tie
victorious goddess in the sJudgment oil J
Paris. z Tie Due d'Aunaale las q theory
that this group Is an alIegory Of Tho three
periods Of feminine beauty, and repre-
se1ts the manageable virgin. tho ycrng
mother and the Inatlrc raatrcn, In saD-
port Of this theory the duke h1y Is
covered much interesting meier II
Italian literature cf the Rcasaiszanco
period. Paris Cor. New York Sun.